Finding Grace(38)

‘We’ve heard nothing at all,’ I say. ‘It’s getting on for five hours now that Grace has been missing. Five hours!’ Just saying the words out loud is devastating.

My daughter has been somewhere else for nearly five whole hours.

The top of my nose starts to prickle, but I force the tears back. Snivelling isn’t going to help find Grace, so I press on.

‘I wanted to come because I want you to take me through the whole day, if you would. Everything happened so quickly and the police just commandeered us, so I feel like I’m in the dark about how everything unfolded.’

Bev sighs. ‘Well, when we got back from Alton—’

‘No, Bev, tell me from when you picked Grace up from the house this morning.’

She nods and proceeds to catalogue everything that happened.

‘The girls were nattering in the back and Mike and I were talking about parking and getting into the theme park. It took us just over an hour to get there and it was full on from the minute we were inside.’

She describes the rides, the girls’ delight on being allowed on the scariest ones. I recall Grace’s face, so alive and excited in the Smiler photo that Mike texted while they were there. It feels like a long time ago now.

‘The girls had a slice of pizza each for lunch and we just had a sandwich.’ She glances at Mike, but there seems to be an invisible screen in place between them.

‘How did Grace seem?’ I say. ‘I mean, was she her usual self or did she seem a bit subdued?’

‘Definitely not subdued,’ Mike responds quickly. ‘I’d say she was her normal self but in extra-excitement mode. They were both bubbling over.’

‘They ran ahead almost the whole time,’ Bev agrees. ‘We kept them in sight, but we gave them a little space and they loved it.’

I nod, my heart growing heavier by the second. There’s nothing new here. Nothing that could help.

‘It seemed to drop cold really quickly, so we left the park a bit earlier than we’d initially planned,’ Mike says.

I immediately wonder what would have happened if they’d been a bit later. Would Grace have arrived home safely? Would she have missed a dreadful window of opportunity when someone decided to take her away?

I dig my fingernails into my palms, realising what I’ve just admitted to myself. After five hours of Grace being missing, it seems I’m arriving at an abduction conclusion, despite keeping the hope alive that she called somewhere else before home; got distracted and delayed.

‘On the journey back, the girls were less talkative because they were tired,’ Bev remarks. ‘We were all a bit quiet, but Grace said she was looking forward to getting her pyjamas on and watching a film with you both later.’

I press my fingers to my lips and feel a spring of hot tears.

‘I’m sorry, Lucie.’ Bev looks at her hands. ‘I can’t imagine how hard this is for you.’

‘It’s fine. Honestly, carry on.’ The last thing I want is for Bev to clam up and stop telling me about the day. I need to know everything, every last detail.

‘When we got back, the girls played upstairs in Olivia’s bedroom for around twenty minutes, and then Mike called Grace down.’

‘She was bouncing again, excited to be walking home alone. Livvy came down to wave her off and she was excited for Grace, too. It was a big deal to them both,’ Mike says softly.

‘Can you tell me exactly what happened next?’ I say, trying to take a step back from my emotions and failing as my heart hammers relentlessly at my chest.

Mike draws in a big breath.

‘She put her trainers, coat, hat and gloves on and I tucked her insulin case in her pocket and took her to the gate. Once she’d set off, I texted Blake to say she’d just left and then stepped back inside the gate and watched her covertly so she wouldn’t see me if she looked back.’

‘Did she seem nervous at all?’ I ask him.

‘Not in the slightest.’ Mike shook his head. ‘She marched up the road with purpose, and when she got near to the bend, I came inside.’

I silently repeat back to myself what he just said.

‘Did you watch her until she disappeared around the bend?’ I ask.

‘Yes… well, almost.’ Mike frowns, thinking. ‘She was nearly there and I heard Bev calling me. As Grace was almost at the bend and I knew Blake was waiting, I came back inside.’

His cheeks are colouring up as quickly as the colour drains from my own. I can’t believe what he just said.

‘Where exactly – exactly – did she get up to on the road before you came back inside, Mike?’ The effort needed to stay calm is immense.

‘I watched her cross over Abbey Road and then I came back inside.’ His voice sounds weaker and he looks at Bev, who hasn’t said a word yet.

Abbey Road leads off Violet Road. It’s quiet, never much traffic, but there’s one thing about it that makes my blood run cold.

It’s thirty yards or so from the start of the bend. Grace would have been completely alone, invisible to Blake, for at least twenty seconds.





Twenty-Seven





We hurry home in silence, back along the dark track.

‘Did you have to lose it in there?’ Blake says accusingly behind me. ‘They must feel bad enough Grace going missing on their watch, Lucie. It’s just not helpful to—’